People who inspire?

steddyeddy

Which people inspire you? They could be war heros, scientists, politicians, people who you know personally or a figure from history?

Mine are

Dianne Fossey: If not for her the mountain gorilla would be extinct
Oscar schindler: For obvious reasons
Richard feynman: He revolutionised physics as we know it and made it accessable to a lot more people than it had been.
Ivan cooper: Organised the civil rights movement in the north
The Medici family: For the italian renaissance
Ramanujan: A self thought mathematician from a poor family in India who had literally no formal education but came up with theorems that many mathematicians with formal education could not come up with

bleepp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_O'Flaherty

Saved thousands, he would have surly been killed if caught out.

Hippies!

Zumo Bishop: Actor lacking any physical strength/ toughness/ menacing appearance but manages to get the role as Fair Cities tough guy....*the mind boggles and struggles to pass wind*

steddyeddy

bleepp wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_O'Flaherty

Saved thousands, he would have surly been killed if caught out.

I only heard of him once in my life. It's a pity because I think his contribution was undervalued!

donvito99

Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald


True statesman among a shower of ****.

steddyeddy

donvito99 wrote: »

Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald


True statesman among a shower of ****.

Why's that? I'm not doubting you but I dont know much about him to be honest!

Edit: Anytime I seen an interview with him he sounded like a gent.

Stained Class

David Attenborough.

86 & still going strong.

Doing what he does best & educating people at the same time.

Cool.

policarp

Bertie Ahern.
Stopped loads of people from committing suicide. . .:)

Stained Class

policarp wrote: »

Bertie Ahern.
Stopped loads of people from committing suicide. . .:)

And by his actions, inspired more people to do so..

Absolute Tosser!:mad:

bleepp

steddyeddy wrote: »

I only heard of him once in my life. It's a pity because I think his contribution was undervalued!

There was a good documentary about him on TG4 around last year. He created a circle of other priests and nuns who gave safe passage to Jews. They put them up in their homes etc always with the risk of getting themselves killed. Pretty amazing stuff really.

steddyeddy

bleepp wrote: »

There was a good documentary about him on TG4 around last year. He created a circle of other priests and nuns who gave safe passage to Jews. They put them up in their homes etc always with the risk of getting themselves killed. Pretty amazing stuff really.

Wow didn't know all that! Thanks

policarp

Stained Class wrote: »

And by his actions, inspired more people to do so..

Absolute Tosser!:mad:

Do you remember his comment about the property boom?

Tom_Cruise

Tom Cruise

Brian Cox

squod

ET. He can fly bicycles.

Mardy Bum

Personally it would be David Simon and Ed Burns, both are responsible for the greatest work of art of the past 10 years.

Amazingly its a television programme.

Oscar Wilde's tragic life is one which brought so much wonderful, unforgettable art into the world that his contribution will probably never be forgotten, a modern day prophet.

James Joyce for being James Joyce. Ulysses will not be matched for sheer unbounded brilliance. The first man to introduce cinema to Dublin funnily enough before his self imposed exile.

Charles Darwin for discovering our past and changing the world forever.

policarp

Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
From Albania.

Lapin

Christopher Hitchens.


His ability to talk and debate with true knowledge at length about so many different topics is inspirational.

Tom_Cruise

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Personally it would be David Simon and Ed Burns, both are responsible for the greatest work of art of the past 10 years.

Amazingly its a television programme.

Oscar Wilde's tragic life is one which brought so much wonderful, unforgettable art into the world that his contribution will probably never be forgotten, a modern day prophet.

James Joyce for being James Joyce. Ulysses will not be matched for sheer unbounded brilliance. The first man to introduce cinema to Dublin funnily enough before his self imposed exile.

Charles Darwin for discovering our past and changing the world forever.

I agree, i love that programme. I still watch it over and over.

The late Patrick Moore. Making astronomy accessible so that even idiots like me could understand, without ever being patronising.

Stephen Hawking, not only a beautiful mind, but also the worlds longest surviving Motor Neurone sufferer. Proving that even terribly disabled lives are still worth living, and that being disabled can't/shouldn't prevent you from making a contribution the world will always value.

And this heroic creature....
http://weirdnews.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=weirdnews&cdn=newsissues&tm=10&f=00&tt=3&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSEIC54343320080825%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DoddlyEnoughNews

...because humanity could learn a lot from other animals sometimes.

And my granny was pretty inspiring, surviving tough times and crushing losses with fortitude and stoicism, showing all who knew her that you can be pretty low key, but outstandingly awesome at the same time

Profiler

Jim Stynes.

He was an inspiration both on field and off.

His impact in Australia was and still is huge.

Reach Foundation in Oz and now Soar in Ireland (which Jim didn't set up but did inspire) are two organisations that are fantastic in their inception and outlook.

IamtheWalrus

Stained Class wrote: »

David Attenborough.

86 & still going strong.

Doing what he does best & educating people at the same time.

Cool.

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

Lapin

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

Name the writer then ?

IamtheWalrus

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

It takes real talent to get those words across to people in a way they understand, engaging their interest, informing them, and making them want more. He might be just a likeable presenter to you, but his love of and enthusiasm for his subject is what makes him so watchable. And the world keeps on watching.

Its safe to say he's doing something right.

donvito99

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

When Attenborough kicks the bucket, a great big swathe of the world will be in mourning.

The same cannot be said for his writers, as you say.

That's the difference, "likeable presenter" or not.

Mardy Bum

policarp wrote: »

Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
From Albania.

Lapin wrote: »

Christopher Hitchens.


His ability to talk and debate with true knowledge at length about so many different is inspirational.

Its ironic how these two followed each other.

IamtheWalrus

donvito99 wrote: »

When Attenborough kicks the bucket, a great big swathe of the world will be in mourning.

The same cannot be said for his writers, as you say.

That's the difference, "likeable presenter" or not.

The great swathe of the world will not have realised that was, not much more than, a presenter.

steddyeddy

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

Sir Attenborough is a scientist by my view and by the accounts of any other scientist who spent time in his presence. He always insists on reading up on any new scientific literature always. Sir Patrick moore wasn't an astronomer by education but likewise he was scientific in his methods and in my view was also a scientist.

IamtheWalrus

steddyeddy wrote: »

He always insists on reading up on any new scientific literature always.

? So do I. Do I inspire you? Terrible argument.

Stained Class

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Yawn. David Attenborough, as much as I respect the man, does not deserves the reverence that the common man gives him. He was educated as a naturalist and is now a presenter. The words you hear him gorgeously reading are written by a trained writer. That writer got his words from a scientist who, I'm assuming, spent years studying the very subject you assume Sir Attenborough did. The man is a likeable presenter.

This is Crap.

DA has been doing nature programes since the 1950's.

Also, how many 86 year olds do as much good work as this man?

What will you be like at that age?

brummytom

I think I've posted this before on a similar thread, but anyway: my uncle.
He's in his mid-forties, very happily married with two young kids. Last February, he was told he had cancer (again), but that it had spread to his lymph nodes, lungs and elsewhere. He was told that, though they could administer chemo to prolong his life, they couldn't do anything more. He's never smoked, hasn't had any kind of alcohol problem, hasn't done drugs or anything like that, he's just had incredible bad luck.

Despite all of that, he has the strongest determination to carry on I've ever seen. He's still working full time, and completely doing up his house in his spare time. He's constantly upbeat, though still realistic.

I know if I was in the same situation, I'd fall to pieces. Seeing him step up and face a terrible situation head on is the most inspiring thing I've seen.


It might not be on a par with great world leaders, or Civil Rights activists, but watching him has had more effect on changing my own outlook than any figurehead ever could.

donegal_road

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Russian composer
Django Reinhardt: guitarist who had 2 fingers on his soloing hand
Van Gogh: Impressionist painter
Monet: Impressionist painter
Claude Debussy: composer who wrote Clare de Lune
St. Brendan the Navigator: was supposed to have been the first European to have reached North America, 530 AD
Mike Horn: explorer who circumnavigates the world in a 184 ft aluminium yacht.

steddyeddy

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

? So do I. Do I inspire you? Terrible argument.

He brought more attention to endangered species than most and played a part in saving some of them inlcuding the mountain gorilla. You cannot dismiss his role in conservation.

steddyeddy

brummytom wrote: »

I think I've posted this before on a similar thread, but anyway: my uncle.
He's in his mid-forties, very happily married with two young kids. Last February, he was told he had cancer (again), but that it had spread to his lymph nodes, lungs and elsewhere. He was told that, though they could administer chemo to prolong his life, they couldn't do anything more. He's never smoked, hasn't had any kind of alcohol problem, hasn't done drugs or anything like that, he's just had incredible bad luck.

Despite all of that, he has the strongest determination to carry on I've ever seen. He's still working full time, and completely doing up his house in his spare time. He's constantly upbeat, though still realistic.

I know if I was in the same situation, I'd fall to pieces. Seeing him step up and face a terrible situation head on is the most inspiring thing I've seen.


It might not be on a par with great world leaders, or Civil Rights activists, but watching him has had more effect on changing my own outlook than any figurehead ever could.

I always admire people like that. Fair play to your uncle that's the type of strength that I have aspired to have my whole life.

steddyeddy

donegal_road wrote: »

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Russian composer
Django Reinhardt: guitarist who had 2 fingers on his soloing hand
Van Gogh: Impressionist painter
Monet: Impressionist painter
Claude Debussy: composer who wrote Clare de Lune
St. Brendan the Navigator: was supposed to have been the first European to have reached North America, 530 AD
Mike Horn: explorer who circumnavigates the world in a 184 ft aluminium yacht.

I'll have to confess that I'll have to look up some of them! Thank you though!

IamtheWalrus

Stained Class wrote: »

This is Crap.

DA has been doing nature programes since the 1950's.

Also, how many 86 year olds do as much good work as this man?

What will you be like at that age?

Doesn't mean he deserves inspiration. He started his work many years ago. He's continuing it on because of his great reputation as a great presenter. He has done a great deal to highlight the natural world.

IamtheWalrus

steddyeddy wrote: »

I'll have to confess that I'll have to look up some of them! Thank you though!

If that post encourages you do research some of the people in the post then it's been worthwhile.

Stained Class

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

The great swathe of the world will not have realised that was, not much more than, a presenter.

You are a great inspiration to people, right?

Keep tappin on that keyboard of yours & maybe in a milion years, someone, somewhere might find your point of view cool.

I hope not.

Da Shins Kelly

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Doesn't mean he deserves inspiration.

It's not really up to you to tell people who they should or shouldn't be inspired by. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places and people for all kinds of reasons. David Attenborough's nature programme narration has inspired more interest in nature documentaries and attracted attention to aspects of the planet that the average person might otherwise know nothing about and would never be inclined to learn about. That is inspiration.

steddyeddy

He has inspired more zoologists than any other. Whether some people don't think that he deserves inspiration he certainly has it.

K-9

John Hume, went into peace talks with Adams, hugely criticised in the Sunday Independent for it, doubted him myself.

The image of him breaking down crying at a funeral, while he was still talking to Gerry Adams and the IRA, how it nearly broke him, how people attacked him for sticking to his belief talking would win out, stuck with it gentleman he was, and now we've peace in Northern Ireland.

IamtheWalrus

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

It's not really up to you to tell people who they should or shouldn't be inspired by. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places and people for all kinds of reasons. David Attenborough's nature programme narration has inspired more interest in nature documentaries and attracted attention to aspects of the planet that the average person might otherwise know nothing about and would never be inclined to learn about. That is inspiration.

Fair point. His work has inspired throves, I'm sure, of people. My point is that the shows you watch are based on research by people who have spent years researching this stuff (my inspiration btw). I have an issue with people giving the presenter of a show the credit, when in fact he is just the face of the work done by other people.

13spanner

The story of William Wallace has always inspired me.

Granted the film Braveheart is probably loaded with pure fiction or inaccuracies or whatever, but it'd still get the heart racing

steddyeddy

K-9 wrote: »

John Hume, went into peace talks with Adams, hugely criticised in the Sunday Independent for it, doubted him myself.

The image of him breaking down crying at a funeral, while he was still talking to Gerry Adams and the IRA, how it nearly broke him, how people attacked him for sticking to his belief talking would win out, stuck with it gentleman he was, and now we've peace in Northern Ireland.

He was also a hero of mine and didn't get the credit he deserved imo.

nimrod86

Ian McKeever - dedicated his life to charity work and helping others to realize what they were capable of doing if they put their mind to it. He motivated me to climb Kilimanjaro with him last summer and was there for me and hundreds of others every step of the way. He did many great things for charity, but was so modest about it all. He taught me many valuable life lessons on the mountain and certainly has made an major impression on my life.

Lapin

steddyeddy wrote: »

He was also a hero of mine and didn't get the credit he deserved imo.

RE - John Hume.

Flawed as it is, recognition doesn't come much higher than the Nobel Peace Prize.

Stained Class

John Lennon wrote 'In my life' when he was 25.

I'm fairly sure Paul Mc Cartney was a little bit younger when he wrote 'Yesterday'

That's why I love the Beatles.

burgermasters

Michael Collins, the only man ever to bring an empire to its knees, ruben carter (the hurricane) jfk and Garth brooks. Oh and bobby sands for fighting and died for what he believed in.

Lapin

burgermasters wrote: »

Michael Collins, the only man ever to bring an empire to its knees.....

Really ?

burgermasters

Lapin wrote: »

Really ?

Well the British empire that is!

K-9

Lapin wrote: »

RE - John Hume.

Flawed as it is, recognition doesn't come much higher than the Nobel Peace Prize.

I think the picture of him crying would have broke any ordinary individual, the talks were crumbling, only John Hume could have rose above all that.

How he overcame that and battled on is inspiring.

Stained Class

burgermasters wrote: »

Well the British empire that is!

Have another few of them burgers.

It might keep you quiet.